Time Gone By

My second grandson Sn when he was a year, and a half old.

This time when I went to Peshawar, I retrieved some of my photos to bring back with me. As a grandmother I love my grandsons. Although they are far away in Houston, Texas, I daily remember them in my prayers. The eldest one is not paying attention to his studies, and that is a worry gnawing at my heart. Since I have no say in his life style, I can’t do anything about it, nor can his father — my son.

The only person he listens to his mother. Time is precious, once gone, can’t have it back again. It is slipping fast beyond reach.

Son is holding the youngest one in his lap.

Tiring

In two weeks time I’m looking forward to an annual stay with daughter. She was happy when I e -mailed her my itinerary. Every year I mentally prepare myself for traveling. I wish there was an easy way. Air traveling is exhausting. The long wait at the airports, the frantic dash to locate the correct terminals in between stopovers, and the to, and fro journeys to the airport from another city. I feel lost in huge airports.

This year is my first after three years, in not traveling on second August which is late husband’s death anniversary. Somehow without planning it consciously I would be journeying on that date to some place else. Last year Son had gone for Haj, and I made a trek from Houston to Hartford. This year Nola lives in Dallas, and I’m again faraway in Massachusetts.

Every year I vow to myself, next time I will refuse when Nola starts pressing me for an annual visit. I will try to pacify her in accepting that I don’t want to travel, because it’s simply tiring. Then fear of her acute disappointment in not seeing me, makes me change my mind. She always make a point in saying, “Mama! You only have to buy one ticket, whereas I will have to buy more tickets so that we can be together “. At times like these I wish both children lived in the same city, and I was spared the botheration of traveling.

Relieved

I can’t describe in words the feelings of utter relief I experienced on a momentous day in my life. Coming back to Texas, I put off for as long as possible to get a driving license. I had my home country’s license but the ninety days period soon got over whereas I needed a Texas license. Friends asked me, “Have you taken your written test?” I would say no. The reason was the it was the driving test which I was dreading. There is a time limit where one has to appear after doing the written one.

Son drove me mad by parallel parking his way. Believe me it meant I couldn’t possibly pass the test, cause each and every time I did it, I failed miserably. The first day he took me to practice, it was the nearby mosque. He left me to offer his Salah leaving me alone. My arms ached where as I did the wrestling with the steering wheel. Despite that I was miles away from the curb as I parallel parked.

When Son would say let’s go parallel park, my heart would plummet down to my shoes. I was convinced I was a dummy of the top order. There was no way I was going to pass. 

I confessed to my examiner that I couldn’t possibly pass. She asked me to come an hour earlier before the test so that a driving instructor would teach me how to parallel park. He taught me in a few minutes the correct way to do it, whereas the memory of those two weeks practicing would always be a nightmare.

I was relieved the day I passed my driving test, and finally got my Texas DL.

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DAILY PROMPT

Relieved

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

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Giant

The giant fishes at the Aquarium in downtown Houston, Texas.

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DAILY PROMPT

Giant

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt. 

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Simplicity

When one remains simple, life  is uncluttered. I have known it to be true — but time and again I forget.

In February of this year I moved to Virginia. Got a home, but except for a few plates and cups which I had brought with me from Peshawar, there was nothing much in the house. I could have brought stuff from back home, but because of baggage restrictions I couldn’t bring more with me.

19th February was a whirlwind, and the bitterly cold night found us (my daughter and I), at Sam’s Club to buy queen sized mattresses. Kitchen gadgets and electric things were acquired from Target. I later found out it would have been much cheaper to get them from Walmart. We did get cotton sheets and pillows, towels, bathroom and kitchen accessories from there. I would have preferred Bed, Bath and Beyond but mindful of spending I checked myself.

Anyway I needed a bed while Nola told me to keep simple for the time being. My backache was growing due to bending, to lie down on the  matteress, and my left leg grew prone to sciatica. So along came my bed, a night table, a huge dresser and mirror. Why the other things? My bed did indeed needed its companions, but now I find myself in the doldrums. Why? Because of the move back to Texas due to my son’s situation.

Now I will have to spend money on a big truck to haul back my living room, dining room, bedroom stuff to Texas. If I put them on sale nobody is going to buy it at half price even. It’s barely three months since I bought them. Life gets changed in a blink of an eye. You never know what lies ahead, and what God has ordained for you.

So here is what I am saying to myself. Why didn’t I stick to remaining simple with less things? It would have been more simpler to move back.

Why did I forget?

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DAILY PROMPT: Simplicity

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt. Not sure how to participate? Here are the steps to get started.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/simplicity/

 

No Time For It

I have to take care of today, which what really matters. I don’t live in the past, and I don’t have time to ponder over my childhood. Please bear in mind that the novelty of a prompt is no longer there when repeated all over again. I need a home to return to Houston. I am racking my brain to raise money to get one.

I am trying to sell the village property which my late husband gifted to me in lieu of marriage. I know what it’s worth, but people think I maybe a dimwit, or think being desperate, I will accept a low, laughable offer.

It’s just like in Galveston TX. Outsiders who visit the place, fall in love with it and buy a spot. When they need to leave — no one comes forward, and in the end it has to be left like that.

DAILY PROMPT

Childhood Revisited

What is your earliest memory? Describe it in detail, and tell us why you think that experience was the one to stick with you.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/childhood-revisited/

Famun Yamul Misqala

  

Above are the last two Ayats (verses) from the Quran, (Chapter) Surah 99, Al Zalzalah (the Earthquake)

I fail to understand how can it be the norms of decency to hold a drawing contest to draw the beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him) of Muslims? 

You are teaching, and giving a clear message “it’s allright to make fun of other people religious sentiments if they are unlike you in their beliefs”.

Can someone explain it to me? 

Doesn’t it violate the basic tenets of Christianity?
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Coming To a Bookshelf Near You

Write a summary of the book you’ve always wanted to write for the back cover of its dust jacket.

Three Sunsets

  

  

  

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/weaving-the-threads/

Weaving the Threads

Draft a post with three parts, each unrelated to the other, but create a common thread between them by including the same item — an object, a symbol, a place — in each part.

Where I Live



At present I am in Sugar Land. It’s lovely, nice, and clean. The trees are still bare, waiting for new leaves to sprout. The shops, Mall are all located in the six miles radius. 

We had a mild winter. Now that summer is in the offing people have started cycling. In the evenings you see families coming out for walks.



It’s the best time here before summer starts. Then day time temperatures outside jump to the nineties. Though evenings are pleasant here, and with a cool breeze blowing, it’s heavenly.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/we-built-this-city/

We Built This City

What do you love most about the city / town / place that you live in? What do you like the least about it? If you were mayor, what would be the most important problem you’d tackle? How would you tackle it?

DP Photo Challenge: Express Yourself

I had gone with my daughter to the Aquarium in downtown Houston. This fish kept on staring at me.

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